The baseline: Spurs aren’t the only ones

“(The trip) comes just in time for our team, and it’s important for us right now. We’re hearing some things being said, people saying things. This is a great time to work on camaraderie.”

And …

“It’s not just playing basketball, but off the court, being around each other, going to dinner. I think it’s perfect timing, win, lose or draw.”

No, that’s not a member of the Spurs talking about the bonding the players experience on their annual rodeo road trip.

It’s Lamar Odom, telling the Los Angeles Times about the team chemistry the Lakers engender each season when the Grammys expel them, the Clippers and the NHL’s Kings from the Staples Center so the venue can be prepared for the annual awards show.

This season, the Lakers head out for seven in a row on the road, a trek that began Saturday night in New Orleans.

And the Clippers?

They have 11 in a row on the road, though No. 11 is against the Lakers at the Staples Center on Feb. 23.

Bonding, it seems, works best when the talent level is good enough to leverage the opportunity.